Short-legged Ground Roller (Brachypteracias leptosomus)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Short-legged Ground Roller

Brachypteracias leptosomus (Lesson, RP, 1833)

30–38 cmLength185 gWeight

The short-legged ground roller (Brachypteracias leptosomus) is a species of bird in the ground roller family Brachypteraciidae.

Busiest months: November · Most records: Madagascar

Vulnerable

Where and when it's recorded

Short-legged Ground Roller has been recorded at 10 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 1 country or region.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Andasibe-Mantadia NPMadagascar232 records
  2. Iaroka ForestMadagascar56 records
  3. Andasibe Mantadia National ParkMadagascar50 records
More places
  1. Ranomafana NPMadagascar33 records
  2. PerinetMadagascar24 records
  3. Ranomafana NP – VohipararaMadagascar22 records
  4. Ranomafana NP – VariboloMadagascar15 records
  5. Analamazaotra Forest StationMadagascar12 records
  6. Ranomafana NP—Sahamalaotra TrackMadagascar10 records
  7. V.O.I. M.M.AMadagascar2 records

Countries and regions with the most records

Madagascar

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The short-legged ground roller (Brachypteracias leptosomus) is a species of bird in the ground roller family Brachypteraciidae. It is the only living species in the genus Brachypteracias and is endemic to Madagascar. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Short-legged Ground Roller?

The Short-legged Ground Roller is about 30–38 cm long and weighs around 185 g.

Where does the Short-legged Ground Roller live?

Its breeding range: Africa: northwestern, eastern Madagascar. It is most often recorded in Madagascar.

When is the best time to see the Short-legged Ground Roller?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in November (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the Short-legged Ground Roller endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Short-legged Ground Roller as Vulnerable.

What does the Short-legged Ground Roller eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the Short-legged Ground Roller in?

It belongs to the family Ground Rollers (Brachypteraciidae), order Coraciiformes.

At a glance

Length
30–38 cm
Weight
185 g
Habitat
Forest
Diet
Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Vulnerable
More measurements
Wing
138 mm
Tail
127 mm
Bill
42 mm
Tarsus
34 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Africa: northwestern, eastern Madagascar

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Ground Rollers Brachypteraciidae
Genus
Brachypteracias

More from the family Ground Rollers

Scaly Ground RollerScaly Ground RollerGeobiastes squamigerPitta-like Ground RollerPitta-like Ground RollerAtelornis pittoidesRufous-headed Ground RollerRufous-headed Ground RollerAtelornis crossleyiLong-tailed Ground RollerLong-tailed Ground RollerUratelornis chimaera
Short-legged Ground Roller

Download illustration

Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Frank Vassen. ↗

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